Magnetic lot selecting device



P. SELIG MAGNETIC LOT SELECTING DEVICE oct. 27, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed sept. 14. 1951 am wan-z m y w Oct. 27, 1953 P. SELIG 2,657,059

MAGNETIC LOT SELECTING DEVICE Filed Sept. 14, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 27, v19543 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MAGNETIC LOT SELECTING DEVICE Pearl Selig, Chicago, Ill.

Application September 14, 1951, Serial No. 246,541

6 Claims.

This invention relates to gaming devices and particularly to a device for selecting at random from a group of loose tokens one token at a time, each token bearing different indicia pertinent to the game being played.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a shaker device which will select a token without the token being touched by the player until the selection has been made, thereby eliminating any possibility of fraud.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide a shaker device which will select tokens by magnetic attraction, with means for eliminating all but one token from the magnetic selector'.

A still more specific object of this invention is to provide a shaker device for games utilizing indicia-bearing tokens, said device comprising a completely enclosed container for the tokens which may be shaken by a player, the container having a hinged or otherwise removable cover to which but one token can adhere so that after the container is shaken, the player merely opens the container by swinging the hinged cover open and then removes the selected token.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a shaker incorporating this invention showing the shaker in use;

Fig. 2 is an elevation partly in section of the shaker;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the shaker of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section through the cover of Fig. 1 showing the operating mechanism in released position prior to being used;

Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Fig. 4 showing the operating mechanism in the rst stage of its operation, i. e., after the container has been shaken but before the mechanism has been operated to select only one of the tokens adhering to the mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to Fig. 4 showing the mechanism in its second stage of operation, or after all but one token have been removed from the mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a bottom view taken along line 1--1 of Fig. 6; and

Figs. 8 to 12 show different forms of tokens which may be used with the shaker of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings now for a detailed description of the invention, and particularly to Figs. 1 to 3, the shaker is comprised of a container in the form of a barrel or any other shape convenient to hold in the hand, the barrel being designated generally by reference character 20. Said barrel 2S is provided with a cover 2| secured to barrel 20 by a hinge 22 so that cover 2| can be swung open after the barrel is shaken. A spring catch 23 diametrically opposed to hinge 22 serves to hold cover 2| in closed position while the barrel is being shaken. In the form chosen for illustration, catch 23 is comprised of a flat strip of spring steel 24 having a bend 25 to receive the edge region of cover 2| and a camming end 26 for starting the said edge region into the catch as Well as providing a means by which the operator can release the catch, the releasing being eiected by bending the camming end away from the cover until the edge region of the cover clears catch 23.

The tokens used in the game being played are placed in the barrel and are shown at 21. The size of the barrel in relation to the quantity of tokens is so selected that there will be ample space remaining above the tokens to permit the tokens to be thoroughly shaken. The specific form of the tokens may vary with the game being played For purposes of illustration the tokens are shown as circular in form such as are used in the game known as Bingo Itis understood that this invention is not limited to tokens used in this game but may be applied to any game using tokens generally circular or polygonal in form which must be selected by chance one at a time. However, when used with Bingo tokens, such tokens must be provided with indicia consisting of a letter and a number for each token.

The selecting mechanism is comprised of a plunger 28 (Fig. 4) preferably of circular cross section and of a magnetizable material such that it can be permanently magnetized, and for the purposes of this invention plunger 28 is so permanently magnetized. Said plunger 28 is secured to a stem 29 not necessarily made of magnetizable material to reduce the cost of the mechanism. Said stem 29 may be secured to plunger 28 by a threaded extension 30 on the stem screwed into a correspondingly threaded opening in plunger 28, a shoulder 3| on stem 29 serving to lock the stem to the plunger when the two are tightened on the threads of extension 30. Stem 29 terminates in a knob 32 which is used by the operator to manipulate plunger 28. A spring 33 compressed between knob 32 and cover 2| urges knob 32 away from cover 2| and through stem 23, urges plunger 28 to its withdrawn position as shown in Fig. 4. Plunger 28 is larger in diameter than stem 29 and operates in a larger opening 34 than stem opening 35. the difference in size of openings creating a shoulder 36 which acts as a limit stop for plunger 28 when it is acted upon by spring 33.

Opening 34 is formed in a guard 31 which may consist of an extension 38 secured to or molded as a part of cover 2|. If circular tokens are used, extension 38 is preferably circular, though not necessarily, in form and has an open end 39, the opening 40 therein being slightly larger than and of the same general vform as the token. The end 4| of plunger 28 in the Withdrawn position of the plunger comes to rest a short distance Within the open end 39 of extension 38. The plunger 28 is shown in its extended position in Fig. 5. In this extended position, end 4| of magnetic plunger '28 is located beyond the end of guard 31 so that when the container 20 is shaken, the tokens 21 tumble past plunger 28. Said tokens 21 in one form (Fig. 8) are formed of pasteboard discs 42 on one side of which are printed one or more symbols pertinent to the game being played. In the case of the game Bingof the symbols are a .letter such as B (Fig. 7) and a number such as 2. On the other side of the disc 21 is secured by a suitable adhesive a magnetizable disc 43.

It will be apparent that those discs within the sphere of iniiuence of the plunger 2s will be magnetically attracted to the said plunger and will adhere to the plunger. t is possible that several discs will adhere as shown .in Fig. 5. When the knob 32 is released by the operator, plunger `28 will be Withdrawn within the Yconfines of guard 31 because of the action of spring As the plunger moves into the `guard e1, those :discs `which `are not centered on plunger 28 so as to .pass within the confines of said guard will be knocked .off by guard 3l, particularly by the end 39 thereof .as shown in Fig. 6. .it has been found that one disc will always adhere to the Withdrawn plunger despite the seeming improb ability of a disc adhering in exactly centered position on the end V4| of plunger 28. After the com tainer 20 is shaken and knob ,32 is released, the container is righted as shown in Fig.A 2 and catch y.23 is sprung open, thereby allowing cover 2| to lbe swung on its hinge 22 to its .open position. The adhering disc is then Aremoved and the in- Vdicia read or otherwise utilized in the `playing of the game.

It is understood that although guard 31 is rshown in Fig. 2 as extending entirely within con- .tailler 20, it may be so formed that only a part of it extends into the container, the remainder being disposed above or `outside of cover 2|, .and .in fact, it .may be entirely in the cover so that .edge 39 is .flush with the interior of cover 2|. This `latter `form may be desirable .where ,only a few ydiscs .are used in .the lgame vand -hence it becornes desirable to have all lof the discs .pass .before the end 4| `of plunger 28 without becoming lodged in the space between .end 39 4of guard .31iand the interior of the cover 2| where guard Y3l prevents the discs from contacting the plunger 28. Other devices for preventing .the lodging of 'the v.discs Aon the exterior of guard 31 `such Yas filling `the space -between rthe lend 39 and cover 2|, will .suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

The discs .21 may take any one of `a number of forms within the scope of vthis invention. Some kof these .other forms are shown in Figs. 9-12 ,in- .clusive to which reference is now made. In Fig. .9 the disc is comprised of a plastic washer 6.4 into the ,opening 45-of .which is pressed a metallic,

magnetic disc 46. In Fig. l0, two sheets of relatively heavy paper in disc form 41, 48 are pasted over a disc 49 of magnetic material. In Fig. ll, the entire disc 50 is made of magnetic material with the indicia lithographed on one or both of the surfaces of the disc. The form shown in Fig. 12 comprises a disc 5| made of non-magnetizable material such as any one of the well known articial resins, the disc having raised edges 52 and 53 and a metallic disc 54 pressed into an opening in the center of the disc.

It is understood that the foregoing description is merely illustrative of preferred embodiments of this invention and that the scope of the invention is -not to be limited thereto, but is to be determined by the appended claims.

l claim:

l. A device for shaking and selecting one indicia-bearing token from a group of such tokens, said device comprising a container in which a plurality of tokens is received, a removable cover `vfor the container, a magnetiZ-ed reciprocable plunger fin the container, means for operating the plunger from .the exterior oi the cover, at least a portion of each token being made of inagneti-zable material such that the tokens within the sphere of iniiuence vof the plunger willbe attracted to the plunger, and an open-endedguard around the plunger, said plunger being reciprocable into and out of the open end oi said guard, said guard being sufficiently large to receive one token Within .its confines, said guard serving to yremove all but one token 'from the plunger upon reciprocation of the plunger into the guard.

2 A device as described in claim l, said plunger having a stem which extends through the ,cover to the exterior thereof for manipulation by the operator.

3. A device as described in claim l, said guard comprising a collar ,of rigid material secured to the cover.

4. A device as vdescribed in claim '1. said plunger having ,a stem which extend through 'the cover to the exterior thereof for manipulation by the operator, resilient means `acting upon 'the stem and urging the plunger out vof the container, and means for limiting the outward movement Off the plunger.

`5. A device as descrbedin 'claim l, .Said plunger having Va stem which extends through the cover to the exterior thereof for manipulation by the operator, and Isaid.. g1 iard comprising a .collar of rigid material secured to the cover.

6. A device as described in claim l, said plunger having a stem which .extends through the 'cover to the exterior thereof vfor manipulation by the operator, resilient means acting upon .the stem and urging the plunger out of the container', means for limiting the outward movement of ,the plunger. and 'said guard .comprising a collar 0f rigid material secured t0 the Cover, the Collar extending into the container 'a greater distance than the plunger when the plunger is moved outward to its limiting position.

PEARLSELIG References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS `Number Name Date 468,274 Goodson Feb. 2, 1892 735,259 .Keith nog. vi, i903 1,861,2,881 Purcell Jan. 2 6, 1932 2,159,818 Franke May I1, v1940 `2,203,886 Zamora .June 1,51, 1940 

